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Sex revolution in Korean cinema

"Sex and Lucia", a Spanish film directed by Julio Medem, which was released here last Friday, is full of sexual description. In the sexually explicit movie, a naked man and woman embrace each other and immerse in the sea in their seductive encounter ensued by consecutive scenes of sex.

Moreover, the man's genitals are briefly shown through close-up shots. Despite such lewd scenes, the movie does not seem offending because it, as a whole, depicts a winding, nostalgic journey of a Madrid waitress Lucia (Paz Vega) to reconcile unresolved feelings on the sudden death of her boyfriend.

In the United States, the original uncut version of this film has been initially rated as NC-17 (No one 17 and under admitted) by the Motion Picture Association of America for its strong sexual content and language. With some modification, the rating has later been eased to R (Restricted: under 17 require accompanying parent or adult guardian). The Korea Media Rating Board was as lenient as its U.S. counterpart in rating the movie, allowing viewers aged 18 and above to see its uncut version.

A scene from "Sex and Lucia"

"It's amazing to watch a movie like this here in Korea without any cut or modification. I couldn't imagine this a couple of years ago. I still remember social jitters raised by "Lies" by Jang Sun-woo and 'Too Young To Die' by Park Jin-pyo", said Choi Hyun-sik, who watched "Sex and Lucia" on its release.

The "lenient rating" of the movie appears to reflect the recent easing of the KMRB's standards for rating films.

When "Intimacy", a French film directed by Patrice Chereau, was imported in 2003, it had been prohibited from being shown until some obscene cuts were completely modified, though the film was not as much lewd as "Sex and Lucia". Even last year when "Drowning by Numbers", a British movie directed by Peter Greenaway, was opened after sensitive parts of actors' body had been obscured with mosaic, the situation was not so different.

In June, however, "The Mother", a British movie directed by Roger Michell which cinematized sexual relations between an old woman in her late 60s and a 40-something man, was allowed to be released with no-cut, no-modification. The movie has clearly shown a sketch drawn by the old heroine, in which sexual intercourse is described. Since the decision, "Innocents - The dreamers" by Bernardo Bertolucci, "L'Ennui" by Cedric Kahn and "Eros" by Michelangelo Antonioni have also been released in sequence in its uncut version.

"There are so many people who still misunderstand our board as an organizaiton that only cuts films. Previous achievements of KMRB have been criticized sharply, and a newly transformed KMRB is required", said Lee Kyung-Soon, chairperson of the organization. "We are now faced with a new and wild era of change. We must look forward and change ourselves".

The KMRB, established to assure the ethics and public spirit of the films, phonogram, video products and so forth, has reviewed both domestic and foreign films, and made recommendations for importing foreign films. While the organization has examined materials containing excessively violent or indecent description that is harmful to public morals, and that may derange the social order, it has been perceived as an outdated censoring organization due to its strict ratings and subsequent measures, and thus considered as a big brother of regulation for a long time.

Now, the Board is taking a step forward to set a new guideline for the two clashing values it pursues to be reconciled: social order and freedom of expression. As Lee points out, these two must exist jointly in harmony.

"In consideration of the fact that the classification of age rating is a system protecting our youth from harmful media, I think further discussion is required for the strict ratings on media targeted at youth. However, for adults, I would like to support the development of our media industry by guaranteeing full freedom of expression to people who openly and deliberately manufacture those media", she said. "I will do my best to protect our youth while still fully guaranteeing freedom of expression. For this, we will review it carefully and improve it towards a desirable direction".


By Jin Dae-woong

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